Ian Smith, who defied the world in 1965 when he led 270,000 white Rhodesians in a unilateral declaration of independence from Britain rather than accept moves to black-majority rule, has died in South Africa aged 88. State-owned radio ZBC, reporting his death, said "Smith will be remembered for his racism and for the deaths of many Zimbabweans."
And for governing the Breadbasket of Africa.
And for giving up power rather than being carried out feet-first ...
Smith became prime minister of white-ruled Rhodesia in 1964 and remained in office until a guerrilla war forced him to accept a ceasefire and political settlement in 1979. Elections were held the following year, when Rhodesia became the black-ruled republic of Zimbabwe, with Robert Mugabe as prime minister.
Born in the small Southern Rhodesian mining town of Selukwe on April 8, 1919, the son of a farmer, Ian Douglas Smith was educated locally and at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa, where he obtained a bachelor of commerce degree. "Good Old Smithy" to his white followers -- stayed on in the black-ruled republic of Zimbabwe after independence in 1980, keeping a critical eye on those who had defeated him, and vehemently opposing Mugabe's plans for a one-party state.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/21/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
All those bastards who called Smith a racist murderer got to see what a REAL racist murderer looks like in Bad Bob. The real pity is that the lefty motherf*ckers who shoved Bad Bob down the Rhodesians' throats aren't now having to suffer the consequences of their actions. They're either peacefully dead or living large in Belgravia, while the poor bastards in the country they smirkingly consigned to Hell starve to death. Margaret Thatcher was a great woman but the Lancaster House negotiations are a stain on her record that can never be erased.
Posted by: Thomas Woof ||
11/21/2007 8:17 Comments ||
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#3
JB, why should the lefties be concern about the trash they leave strewn about through history? They demand perfection from everyone else while parasitically thriving in comfort upon others' labors and skills. What they pass off as their good deeds are merely desperate attempts to fill their empty existence. You have to have a soul to have shame.
Home Affairs Ministry has recently issued a directive that bans women who wear a veil covering their faces from voting as to avoid any abuse or forgery. The same directive urges voting centres agents to make sure of the identity of women who cover their faces, concordant sources told El Khabar.
They'll have a cleaner election than East Saint Louis did last time ...
The same sources mentioned that the directive has been sent to different Elections Organs as well as Public Relations Directions to implement it by urging all voting centres to control the identity of veiled face women who come to vote in 29 November local assemblies elections. The aforementioned directive targets to counter any abuse or forgery cases similar to those recorded last May legislative elections especially in some conservative areas.
In fact, several complaints have been sent to Home Affairs Ministry revealing that one veiled face woman voted on the behalf of several other women by exposing their ID cards. The same sources explained that voting centres agents could not compare the identity of veiled faces women who came to vote with their ID cards. Citizens living in conservative areas said they are upset with this directive as they are not prepared to deal with it. Some people requested to install special voting centres for women where the agents can ask women to disclose their face without any problem.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/21/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
special voting centres for women
Under the circumstances, that's a potential solution that actually might make sense. A sensible solution from an Islamic country - who'd have ever guessed?
#2
How about this, you don't really want to hear what the hardcore assholes think anyway. So let them sit it out if they are dumb enough. Women voting is prolly a new idea for them anyway.
#3
It might be that the secret ballot may be the only way these women will have the chance to have any control of their lives without their 'guardians' coercing them. I don't have much hope for that, mind you, but the possibility exists.
Anyhow, when I see a woman in a burka, I'm offended. The assumption that if I, a non-family member, see an uncovered lady I will instantly try to rape her, is quite insulting.
Posted by: Eric Jablow ||
11/21/2007 21:45 Comments ||
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The government on Monday published a draft bill that will give them the power to grab a 25 percent shareholding in mining firms, without paying a cent. This new bill is an addition to the general Indigenisation and Empowerment Bill passed in September this year, which provided for a 51 percent stake in foreign owned firms for locals.
Companies who will bear the brunt of the takeovers include the world's second biggest platinum producer, Impala Platinum (Implats). Anglo Platinum, the world's largest primary producer of platinum is currently developing a mine project near Gweru on the Great Dyke and will also be affected, as will diamond producer Rio Tinto. South Africa's Implats, who are the leading foreign owned firm, insist their structure already conforms to the requirements of the new bill. Their Chief Executive Officer David Brown told Reuter's news agency that they have not yet seen the, 'latest documentation,' and cannot comment until they have seen it.
And then they'll be too busy setting charges in the mines to have any comment ...
Analysts say the Mugabe regime is failing to address the real political and economic issues that are affecting the country and is engaging in publicity stunts aimed at trying to win sympathy from ordinary people in Zimbabwe and the third world in general. They argue the new policy will only scare away foreign investors, the majority of whom are already reluctant to invest in the country. Other countries with investor friendly climates are likely to benefit at Zimbabwe's expense.
Businessman Mutumwa Mawere who lost his Shabani Mashaba Mines (SMM) to a government company-grab, said the new bill was strange given that, '100 percent of all mineral exports are controlled by the same state so why take a shareholding when in fact you control access to earnings of all minerals?' Zimbabwe is reported to have 22 mining companies with 10 of them in the hands of foreigners.
According to the Reserve Bank, 42 percent of the country's foreign currency earnings come from the mining sector where diamonds, platinum, chrome, palladium and gold are produced. Any disruption of this sector will have catastrophic effects for the country, as happened with the violent farm invasions that disrupted and destroyed the entire agriculture sector.
Worked so well the last time let's just do it again ...
Posted by: Fred ||
11/21/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
Shameless. No economy to siphon taxes off of, so they had to go for the throat.
#5
Mugabe will grab the mining properties, which will follow the farming industry into disaster. Then look around and see who will pick up the pieces - you will find them in Beijing. I suspect China is actually CAUSING ZimBob to do stuff like this, though senile fool that he is, he doesn't realize it.
#9
They aren't taking 25%- they want 51%, an absolute majority shareholding. 25% will be simply confiscated and 26% 'paid for' however Bob chooses. This in an economy where a can of baked beans now costs $1.2 million.
Bob is already using his control of foreign currency and the inflation to strangle the miners. This move is the same deal the farmers got. It's ours now. Piss off.
There is a lot of ruin in a country, as someone said. And there is still a lot of ruin left for Zimbabwe.
Former BNP lawmaker from Nilphamari-4 constituency Amzad Hossen Sarkar and thirteen others have been chargesheeted in Kazi Rubel murder case. The chargesheet was submitted to the court of district and sessions judge on Monday. The court will hear 26 witnesses from January 6 to 16.
Amzad Hossen Sarkar and his younger brother Rashidul Alam Sarkar, president of Saidpur Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, both in Rangpur jail, were produced before the court on Monday under tight security as hundreds of Amzad supporters crowded court premises. The other 12 accused now in bail were also produced before the court. They are Saidpur BNP president principal Abdul Gafur, Saidpur Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Luthfar Rahman, Saidpur Chhattra Dal president Liton, and BNP leaders and activists Kazi Ekramul Haque, Tarik Aziz, Ruhul Amin, Heera, Shamsul Alam, Nobin, Abdul Motin Sentu, Ziaul Haq Zia and Alam Master.
Kazi Rubel, nephew of former Public Service Commission member Prof Mahfuzur Rahman, was secretary of Kashiram Belpukur union BNP. Prof Mahfuzur Rrahman was an aspirant for BNP nomination from Nilphamari-4 for parliamentary election which was to be held in January this year.
Sources claimed that Kazi Rubel supported Mahfuzur Rahman, which angered Amzad Hossain Sarkar. In the evening of October 30 last year, Amzad Hossain staged a showdown with about 100 motorcycles and reached Sepaiganj market in Kasiram Belpukur, which is close to Kazi Rubel's house.
I think I saw this in the movies once. I think Chuck Norris was in it.
Supporters of Amzad and Prof Mahfuzur Rahman clashed there, leaving Kazi Rubel critically injured. He died while being taken to Rangpur Medical College Hospital. A murder case was filed accusing 14 people, naming Amzad as the prime accused.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/21/2007 00:00 ||
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President Vladimir Putin harshly assailed his opponents and accused the West of meddling in Russian politics, telling a parliamentary campaign rally Wednesday that opponents at home and abroad want to weaken the country.
Putin's strongly worded attack on his critics came as he seeks to secure a high turnout and strong support for the dominant main pro-Kremlin party in parliamentary elections Dec. 2. Putin is leading United Russia's ticket in what is widely seen a maneuver to retain a grip on power after he steps down next spring.
"Those who confront us need a weak and ill state. They want to have a divided society, in order to do their deeds behind its back," Putin warned, saying a strong United Russia majority in parliament is needed to preserve his course.
Posted by: ed ||
11/21/2007 09:12 ||
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#1
"..And we oughtta take back the Sudetenland Ukraine while we're at it!"
Posted by: dan ||
11/21/2007 12:28 Comments ||
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#4
Sounds like Putin needs to distract the Russian population from his selling out of the country's national interests to Chinese and Iranian interests. Classic indirection.
#1
The TGV is a tremendous source of pride for the French people. Screwing around with a national symbol while at the same time inconveniencing many thousands of commuters and depressing business revenues is going to delete a massive amount of public sympathy for the strikers.
Sarkozy seems to understand how globally non-competetive it is to have some half a million rail workers be able to retire with full pension at age 50.
#3
Back in the Third Republic the railroad engineers threaten strike. The government simply said it would draft all the engineers into the army, court martial them, and have them shot. No strike. Seemed to be rather effective.
PARIS (Reuters) - Former President Jacques Chirac has been placed under formal investigation by a French judge for suspected embezzlement of public funds when he was mayor of Paris, Chirac's lawyer Jean Veil said on Wednesday.
Chirac, who lost his immunity from prosecution after stepping down as president in May, has consistently denied any wrongdoing in a series of graft cases that have cast a shadow over his record as the capital's mayor between 1977-1995. Chirac has been placed under formal investigation by a French judge for suspected embezzlement of public funds when he was mayor of Paris, Chirac's lawyer Jean Veil said on Wednesday. "Formal investigation" means a suspect could eventually be ordered to stand trial. The judge investigating the case could also decide there is not enough evidence to prosecute. Chirac, 74, is the first former president of modern day France to be placed under investigation by magistrates.
Wednesday's case revolves around jobs allegedly handed out to centre-right sympathisers by Paris city hall. Chirac was questioned over a separate case of alleged fake jobs in July.
Veil said Chirac was questioned by judge Xaviere Simeoni on Wednesday and declared he was innocent of any wrongdoing. "On the issue of principle, he considers that the jobs were perfectly legitimate and that they were good policy for the city hall," Veil told reporters after the questioning.
Chirac's meeting with the judge on Wednesday focused on the organisation and functioning of the mayor's office. A further meeting, to deal more specifically with the jobs under question, will be organised "in a few months", Veil said.
During an 18-year reign as mayor of the French capital, Chirac built a formidable party machine that gave him firm control over most aspects of city politics.
In a newspaper column published on Wednesday, the former president wrote he had made "legitimate and necessary" staff hires to advise him and to help him revitalise Paris. Only a small number of around 40,000 city employees were in question. "Who were these few officials? People to help clarify issues of substance for me -- educational, social, economic, sporting problems," he wrote. "It could also be men and women of quality, with all the necessary qualifications, but who were going through a difficult period professionally and to whom I wanted to give a fresh chance.
"And finally there were a very small number of aides who helped in the coordination and exercise of my functions."
Chirac's four chiefs of staff from the period 1983-1995 have already been placed under official investigation in the case. Several other people are also under investigation, including a grandson of former President Charles de Gaulle, a brother of the former speaker of the National Assembly Jean-Louis Debre and Marc Blondel, the former head of the Force Ouvriere union.
Government spokesman Laurent Wauquiez declined to comment on the case following a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton sharpened her attacks on Tuesday on rival Barack Obama's experience, a day after a poll showed her falling slightly behind him in Iowa. Six weeks before Iowa kicks off the state-by-state battle for the 2008 Democratic nomination, Clinton questioned Obama's claim that living in a foreign country as a youth helped shape his world view and contribute to his experience.
"Voters will judge whether living in a foreign country at the age of 10 prepares one to face the big, complex international challenges the next president will face," Clinton said during a campaign stop in Shenandoah, Iowa. "I think we need a president with more experience than that," said Clinton, who has repeatedly touted her own experience as first lady and questioned the readiness for the White House of the first-term senator from Illinois.
Obama said in Iowa on Monday that his four years living in Indonesia as a child contributed to his knowledge of the world and how people live around the globe. "If you don't understand these cultures then it's very hard for you to make good foreign policy decisions. Foreign policy is all about judgment," he said.
Obama's campaign fired back, saying experience was no substitute for judgment and attacking Clinton's votes to authorize military action in Iraq in 2003 and side with President George W. Bush recently in labeling an Iranian military unit a terrorist group.
Obama spokesman Bill Burton said Vice President Dick Cheney and former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld also spent time in the White House and traveled heavily. "But along with Hillary Clinton they led us into the worst foreign policy disaster in a generation and are now giving George Bush the benefit of the doubt on Iran," he said.
This article starring:
Barack Obama
Bill Burton
Hillary Clinton
Posted by: Fred ||
11/21/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
Talking about experience Hillary. How much military experience do you have? But more importantly, first base in this game is respect from the military. Do you have that?
#3
D *** NG IT, , first GOP-DEM USG-NPE barbecues - NOW TURKEY DAY IS BITING THE DUST.
KEVIN COSTNER'S PRINCE OF THIEVES [Robin Hood] > TIME [for Sherif of Nottingham]TO CANCEL CHRISTMAS??? Next will be OWG Amerika's, Mighty USSA = Weak USR's FAMILY/COMMUNITY HOLIDAY(S), AND WE DON'T HAVE EVEN THESE OFFICIALLY YET!
#5
And your experience exactly, Mrs. Clinton? Tell you what - Please list three things you accomplished either in DC or in NY, your adopted home state. No? I didn't think so.
By the way, while you mocked GWB's Guard experience, just how much time in uniform have any of you two done? Oh, that's right. One set of standards for thee and a separate set of standards for me.
#10
Seems to me palosi has had more (illegally, IMO) foreign policy excursions in the last year than hillarity has, unless you count fundraising in Ireland.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Home Affairs Ministry has recently issued a directive that bans women who wear a veil covering their faces from voting as to avoid any abuse or forgery. The same directive urges voting centres agents to make sure of the identity of women who cover their faces, concordant sources told El Khabar.
The government on Monday published a draft bill that will give them the power to grab a 25 percent shareholding in mining firms, without paying a cent. This new bill is an addition to the general Indigenisation and Empowerment Bill passed in September this year, which provided for a 51 percent stake in foreign owned firms for locals.
France's Chirac targeted in corruption probe
Democratic presidential front-runner 
